Leave it to Canadians to kick off an awards show with pleasant zingers.
Father-son team and first time hosts Eugene Levy and Dan Levy hit the stage Sunday at the Peacock theater to get the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards started with feel-good jokes and gentle ribbing. During their monologue, the co-creators and stars of “Schitt’s Creek” made sure to point out that while they were both excited for the opportunity, neither of them are is a stand-up comedian.
“I wouldn’t even really call us hosts,” said Dan Levy. “More like actors acting like hosts, which is a huge gamble for us. But if it goes well tonight, my name is pronounced Levy [leh-vee], not Levy [Lee-vee].”
“And if things go south, my name is pronounced Martin Short,” added Eugene Levy.
The pair, of course, poked the most fun at each other: Eugene joked that his Emmy for “Schitt’s Creek” was the most rewarding aspect of being Dan’s father, while Dan called out his dad’s lack of texting skills.
But the Levys also took jabs at the nominated shows, the Television Academy and Hollywood in general.
When shouting out “The Bear’s” numerous nominations, Eugene Levy addressed the acclaimed show’s status as a comedy.
“I love the show, and I know some of you might be expecting us to make a joke about whether ‘The Bear’ is really a comedy,” said Levy. “But in the true spirit of ‘The Bear,’ we will not be making any jokes.”
Dan Levy, on the other hand, called out Hollywood’s history of hiring straight actors to play LGBTQ+ characters in prestige projects.
“Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer [are] both recognized tonight for playing lovers in ‘Fellow Travelers,’” said Dan Levy. “Proving that you can be nominated for playing gay even if you’re not straight.”
Prior to the telecast, the Levys told The Times that their aim for the show was for it “to feel celebratory” with “a bit of an edge.”
“People … are kind of excited that we’re not hard-edged comics, that there will be a kind of warmth to the room,” said Dan Levy. Added Eugene Levy: “You want it to be funny, but it’s maybe a kinder, gentler approach.”
The 2024 Emmy Awards show is being broadcast live on ABC. Watch the full monologue below.